UK Retail Growth & Partnerships Lead

UK Retail Growth & Partnerships Lead

Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
SURI

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead UK retail strategy and partnerships, driving growth with major retailers like Boots.
  • Company: Join SURI, a trailblazer in innovative oral care products with a vibrant culture.
  • Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, personal development budget, and health packages.
  • Other info: Dynamic team environment with excellent career growth opportunities and regular social events.
  • Why this job: Be a foundational player in a fast-growing brand transforming the oral care industry.
  • Qualifications: 5-7 years of experience in managing major retail accounts and strong commercial skills.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

  • Global Role, London,
  • Reporting to the Head of Commercial

Hello, we're SURI.

We're on a mission to radically transform oral care with beautiful everyday essentials designed for life.

Championing high performance and future-focussed design, our award-winning sonic toothbrush transforms an uninspiring chore into an enjoyable daily ritual.

We seek to continually push the boundaries of what is possible and invite honest conversation on our collective journey.

Since launching our sonic toothbrush in 2022, we've delighted over 500k customers across the UK, Europe and US.

In doing so, SURI has risen to become the highest-rated electric toothbrush on Trustpilot, while achieving B-Corp certification and securing listings in major US and UK retailers.

As well as garnering widespread media attention, SURI has also picked up numerous prestigious industry awards including The Grocer Startup of the Year, Red Dot Design Award, and the Marie Claire Sustainability Award.

SURI is entering the most ambitious phase of its retail journey.

UK distribution through Boots is accelerating rapidly, new major UK retail partnerships are in active development, and from September 2025 our US retail footprint will begin scaling significantly, with a further step-change early next year.

This is a role for someone who wants to be more than an account manager.

You will help define UK retail strategy, lead new partnership development, and build the team as we grow.

The UK retail opportunity ahead of us is significant.

We want the person in this role to feel like a foundational player in the journey.

If this excites you and you are keen to shape SURI with us we'd be thrilled to hear from you!

Role & Responsibilities

  • Boots Channel Ownership
  • Serve as the primary commercial lead and day-to-day contact for Boots, owning the buyer and senior stakeholder relationships at all levels
  • Develop and execute annual joint business plans (JBPs), managing range, space, promotional calendar and pricing architecture
  • Deliver Boots EPOS, net revenue and distribution targets, with full accountability for the Boots P&L
  • Lead all promotional planning, including 3 for 2 campaigns, seasonal activations, in-store theatre and new product introductions
  • Manage trade terms negotiations and ensure deal economics are sound — balancing investment, sell-through and margin
  • Work closely with our retail marketing lead (Mati) to maximise in-store presence, gondola health, and brand visibility
  • New UK Retail Partnership Development
  • Lead the commercial development of new UK retail partnerships as they are identified and pursued, including major pharmacy, grocery, health and beauty and mass retail channels
  • Build compelling sell-in propositions, manage commercial negotiations, and own onboarding and launch plans for new accounts
  • Work with the broader leadership team to prioritise which channels to pursue and define the right commercial model for each
  • UK Retail Strategy
  • Own the UK retail strategy, defining channel priorities, distribution targets, promotional frameworks, and pricing principles across all UK accounts
  • Produce and present regular performance reporting to the leadership team, with clear commercial insight and recommended actions
  • Monitor the competitive landscape and category trends, ensuring SURI is well-positioned and differentiated at retail
  • Develop 12 and 24-month plans that are commercially robust and operationally realistic
  • Internal Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Partner with Finance to build and manage the UK retail P&L, trade spend budget, and profitability modelling
  • Work closely with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure stock availability, promotional execution and forecasting accuracy
  • Collaborate with Marketing on brand campaigns, in-store activation, and media support tied to retail moments
  • Brief and align the team on account plans, key upcoming activations, and commercial priorities through regular internal cadences
  • Team Building
  • Set the standard for how SURI operates with UK retail partners: commercially sharp, human, and brand-right
  • As SURI scales, identify and make the case for additional UK retail hires, account managers, field team, retail marketing and help build and develop this team over time

Requirements

Experience

  • 5-7+ years of senior commercial experience managing major UK retail accounts — ideally spanning pharmacy (Boots), grocery, mass retail, or health and beauty.

Or in an equivalent buying role at a strategic retailer.

  • A track record of launching and scaling brands within large retail environments, not just maintaining incumbent listings, but genuinely winning space, improving terms, and growing brand presence
  • Experience owning a retail P&L understanding gross margin, trade investment, net revenue dynamics, and how to model promotional scenarios
  • Some experience of new account development pitching to buyers, building sell-in packs, negotiating commercial frameworks
  • Experience at or equivalent to a high-growth consumer brand (beauty, personal care, wellness, health, DTC-to-retail) is strongly preferred over traditional FMCG.
  • We are not building for Unilever — we are building for SURI
  • Commercial & Analytical Skills
  • Confident reading and challenging a P&L not just reporting numbers, but using them to make decisions
  • Strong negotiation skills able to hold position on price integrity and margin while maintaining strong relationships with buyers
  • Comfortable building and presenting commercial models, promotional scenarios, and business cases
  • Fluent in retail KPIs: EPOS, distribution, rate of sale, promotional sell-through, retail margin, net revenue
  • Mindset & Ways of Working
  • Entrepreneurial: excited by ambiguity and building something, not just running an existing machine
  • Hands-on: willing to manage the detail (a promotional grid, a buyer email, a stock issue) as readily as presenting the strategy
  • Commercially brave: able to push back on a retailer when it matters and advocate hard internally for the right deal
  • Collaborative and low-ego: SURI is a team sport. This person will work closely with marketing, ops, finance and the founders and needs to be trusted by all of them
  • A genuine appreciation for the brand: someone who gets why design, sustainability and premium positioning matter, and protects them

Benefits

  • 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and an additional day for your birthday
  • Flexible working hours
  • Hybrid working - up to 2 days working from home each week
  • Bupa Healthcare and Dental Packages
  • Income Protection and Life Assurance
  • 1 Charity Day per year
  • Central London offices- based in London Bridge; a stone's throw from Borough Market
  • 4x "Work from Anywhere" weeks, with no requirement to be in the office those weeks
  • Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, which grants free therapy and coaching sessions to all staff
  • Monthly social events, organised by different team members
  • 5x free toothbrushes every year
  • £1000 personal development budget each year, per employee
  • Fantastic career opportunities; with the chance to grow as SURI does
  • Summer Fridays; 2pm finish across Fridays in July and August
  • Fresh fruit and snack orders every week
  • Cycle to Work scheme, and Electric Bike Cycle to Work scheme
  • Regular product swaps with other fantastic companies

At SURI, we value diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

We look for team members who will positively contribute to our dynamic, passionate culture and believe that an inclusive and diverse work environment is one in which we all thrive.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made for the recruitment process.

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SURI

Contact Details:

SURI Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land UK Retail Growth & Partnerships Lead

Get Your Retail Game On

Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!

Join Retail Networks and Forums

Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like SURI, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!

Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities

Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.

Show Off Your Customer Service Skills

Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like SURI!

We think you need these skills to ace UK Retail Growth & Partnerships Lead

Commercial Strategy Development
Retail Account Management
P&L Management
Negotiation Skills
Business Planning
Performance Reporting
Market Analysis

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.

Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at SURI, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.

Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at SURI and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!

Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show SURI that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!

How to prepare for a job interview at SURI

Show Off Your Customer Service Skills

Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!

Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems

Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!

Understand Product Knowledge

Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.

Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios

Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!